Great Rivers Greenway and its partners are seeking more public input from area residents to help develop the community goals for the Chouteau Greenway project, which will bring a long-time vision to life as part of the region’s overall network of greenways. People from across the region are encouraged to complete an online survey at www.ChouteauGreenway.org by Dec. 20, 2017. Hard copies of the survey are also available by calling 314-436-7009 or visiting one of the neighborhood meetings, festivals and pop-up events in the region.
“The partners envision Chouteau Greenway as becoming common ground – weaving together our diverse neighborhoods and communities into a vibrant and unique St. Louis experience enjoyed by all,” says Susan Trautman, CEO of Great Rivers Greenway. “To achieve this, we need to hear from people so the design reflects their wants and needs. What will make them feel welcome and safe? What stories do we need to tell through signage, design or public art? What destinations do they want to connect to? We want to hear it all.”
The goal for the Chouteau Greenway project is to connect the areas of Washington University and Forest Park to the Washington University Medical Center & BJC, the Cortex Innovation District, the City Foundry STL and Armory projects, Grand Center Arts District, Saint Louis University, Harris-Stowe State University, Midtown, Downtown and the Gateway Arch and Mississippi Riverfront. With spurs north and south, the greenway will likely stretch 5-7 miles, connecting area neighborhoods, employment centers, parks, transit and dozens of cultural and educational institutions.
Design teams interested in submitting their qualifications for the design competition were required to do so by Nov. 21, 2017. A jury, comprised of nine local and international experts, is currently reviewing all submissions and will recommend four teams to compete before the end of the year. Those four teams will be briefed on the project, including the survey results and community goals, in early January and will complete a conceptual design to show the community in April 2018. The jury will then evaluate the plans based on design and community goals in late April, and the winning team will finalize their design, completing the competition, in June 2018. The next steps will determine how to bring the project to life through further design, engineering, construction, operations and maintenance.
Great Rivers Greenway has also chosen 40 community members, out of the 205 who applied, to be a part of the Community Advisory Committee (CAC) to provide vision and guidance for the project. Additional stakeholder groups are forming to provide input throughout the process from a wide variety of agencies, businesses and organizations. For more information about the project and the survey, visit www.ChouteauGreenway.org.
About Great Rivers Greenway:
Great Rivers Greenway is the public agency connecting the St. Louis region with greenways, with 113 miles built so far. St. Louisans decided to leave a legacy for future generations by investing in and connecting together some of our region’s best assets – rivers, parks and communities. A vote of the people in the year 2000 created a sales tax that allows us, with lots of partner and citizen input, to build, care for and bring to life the network of greenways, creating healthy habitats and watersheds along the way. Greenways help residents and visitors explore and enjoy the region and live life outside. For more information, visit www.GreatRiversGreenway.org.
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For more information, contact:
Pam Powell
(314) 436-9090